Police are moving closer to identifying who issued a death threat to the former Strictly Come Dancing star Amanda Abbington, Mail Online has learned.

MET Police detectives were alerted on Friday afternoon to an email sent to the London theatre where the actress is performing in a new play.

It warned “she should be prepared to die on stage” unless she withdrew her complaint about former pro-partner Giovanni Pernice, which is now the subject of a BBC probe.

The theatre alerted cops, and a source close to the investigation said the police are taking the threat “very seriously” and are working hard towards identifying who sent it.

Amanda, who is starring in When It Happens To You at Park Theatre, in Finsbury, north London, has now been interviewed twice by cops.

Police are moving closer to identifying who issued a death threat to the former Strictly Come Dancing star Amanda Abbington , Mail Online has learned

Amanda has been targeted after making a series of complaints about former Strictly Come Dancing partner Giovanni Pernice (pictured together on the show)

The source explained: ‘Specialist officers have been looking at the email closely over the last 72 hours, and now believe they are close to identifying where it was sent from.

‘They are liaising with another force on this now. This, in turn, they hope will go on to lead them to the person behind the threat.

‘Officers have told Amanda they will do all they can to find out who the person is behind the email.

‘They are treating it as a very serious and very credible threat and want to unmask the person behind it.’

Our story comes a day after the director behind the new show Amanda is starring in told how she has no plans of walking away.

Jez Bond said she will instead bravely carry on appearing, despite receiving the chilling death threat

Artistic Director Jez, told the Mirror: ‘Amanda is determined to continue. Obviously she was shocked and upset, but she will not be intimidated into standing down from the show. She’s incredibly brave and will not be beaten.’

The death-threat comes in the wake of an interview in which Amanda admitted to being worried about taking public transport.

MET Police detectives were alerted on Friday afternoon to an email sent to the London theatre where the actress is performing in a new play

It warned “she should be prepared to die on stage” unless she withdrew her complaint about former pro-partner Giovanni Pernice , which is now the subject of a BBC probe

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour on Friday, she said she had withdrawn from social media after getting “incredibly toxic and relentless” online abuse from Strictly fans.

She claimed previously this included death and rape threats against her and her family.

She said: ‘When I’m on the train and things, I do sometimes feel exposed and vulnerable, I do, because of the nature of the threats I was getting. You do feel like you’re public enemy number one for saying “I do not feel entirely happy with this”.’

A spokesperson for Amanda said: ‘We can confirm she’s assisting police with their investigations. Amanda is very grateful to the Park Theatre for dealing with this so quickly and professionally.’